'Tanks of "A" Squadron waiting to cross the Wessem Canal', 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), Holland, 1944

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North West Europe, 1944.

Tanks of the 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) supported an assault on the Wessem-Nederweert Canal by 160th Brigade which began on 14 November 1944. The attack was assisted by 'artificial moonlight' provided by searchlights. With the Germans withdrawing, there was little opposition but the British and Commonwealth troops had to contend with mines, booby traps and thick mud, as weather conditions deteriorated. Once the infantry were across the canal, engineers constructed a bridge and the tanks of the Sharpshooters crossed on 16 November 1944.

The caption for this photograph relates that the 'Artificial Moonlight' provided by searchlights 'is very effective for finding one's way at night. Some what naturally someone decided to switch it off just as we started to cross'. The war diary of the Sharpshooters for 16 November 1944 confirms that when the unit crossed the canal the searchlights were turned off.

From an album containing 222 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).